Improved dash client and receiver with a download rate estimator

Abstract

A client device presents streaming media and includes a stream manager for controlling streams, a request accelerator for making network requests for content, a source component coupled to the stream manager and the request accelerator for determining which requests to make, a network connection, and a media player. A process for rate estimation is provided that will react quickly to reception rate changes. The rate estimator can use an adaptive windowed average and take into account the video buffer level and the change in video buffer level in a way so to guarantee that the rate adjusts fast enough if there is a need, while keeping the windowing width large (and thus the measurement variance) large. A guarantee might be that when a rate drop or rise happens, the estimator adjusts its estimate within a time proportional to a buffer drain rate or buffer fill level.

Description

[0001] Cross References to Related Applications [0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61 / 603,569, filed February 27, 2012, entitled "Improved DASH Client and Receiver with Rate Adaptation and Downloading for Adaptive Video," and is hereby incorporated for all purposes in its entirety Its entire contents are incorporated herein by reference. Background technique [0003] DASH refers to "Dynamic Adaptive HTTP Streaming". Using DASH, content providers format content into segments, fragments, representations, adaptations, etc., along with associated metadata (such as MPD files), and store all of this as Files available to HTTP servers. The DASH client obtains these files as needed to provide the recipient of the presentation to the user of the DASH client. [0004] DASH clients have harsh limitations as users want high-quality streams with little or no advance notice, often in network-constrained environments. Thus, an improved DASH c...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0004] DASH clients have harsh limitations as users want high-quality streams with little or no advance notice, often in network-constrained environments

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